Sita (?), c. 1100-1150

The heroine of the epic Ramayana and the wife of Rama, Sita is also worshiped as the divinity presiding over agriculture. The lotus held in her left hand is the ubiquitous emblem for a goddess in Tamil Nadu. The sculptor of this remarkable piece employed considerable restraint in the carving, as the ornamentation and simplified garments do not overwhelm the rounded, sensuous forms of her body.